10 June 2016

When in Talisay, Batangas - Club Balai Isabel

My family and I rarely go south to travel. As my parents are from Nueva Ecija and we currently reside in Bulacan, they prefer places which they are familiar with. Honestly, it feels like we're going outside of our comfort zone once we go beyond Alabang to explore roads we've never encountered. But I think I finally found a resort in the south that is worth visiting and is worth braving the EDSA for.

Club Balai Isabel - A true haven in the south

Club Balai Isabel is definitely not a place new to my ears. I know it as a popular destination for weddings and vacations. Remember Oyo Boy Sotto and Kristine Hermosa's magical wedding? But my visit last week gave me a bigger and better perspective of what Club Balai Isabel has to offer and that is a place boasting a choice of adventure or relaxation - both coming with a beautiful view of the Taal Lake and Volcano.

Best view in town...

...and you may enjoy it from this nice spot! Perfect for weddings don't you think?

Several blogger friends and I went to Club Balai Isabel on a Friday morning. Since I came from Bulacan, my entire travel time was around 3 to 4 hours (2 hours from Bulacan to Makati and another 1 hour to 2 hours from Makati to Talisay). After exiting at Tanauan exit of STAR Tollway, it was only a 15 to 20 minute ride until we reached Club Balai Isabel. Looking for Club Balai Isabel is not a problem. You can see the signs of the place on the left side of the road.

With the perfect combination of mountains and a peaceful lake, Club Balai Isabel is your perfect summer destination!

Heavenly view of Club Balai Isabel from the lake.

We were bound to stay at Club Balai Isabel for two days. I thought it was too short, and it indeed was. I could stay here for a week and not get bored. There are tons of activities that the resort has to offer. We went there on a weekday and the place was still fully booked. We were told that the place always have guests even on non-peak season. Actually, there's no peak or non-peak season at Club Balai Isabel! Though this place is always filled with guests, there's actually no need to worry about the place being crowded because it's huge! We even had to tour the place using an electronic car.

Very cozy reception area!

We toured Club Balai Isabel in this electronic car.

Speaking of tours, we had a glimpse of Club Balai Isabel through an informative walk-through of the place. From Balai Ylang Ylang, we had a fun ride around the 9-hectare resort. It used to be a smaller resort with fewer facilities until it was developed and improved a few years ago. My first impression of Club Balai Isabel is that it is a place where you could be one with nature because of all the greenery found in it.

If you want to tour the place comfortably, you may rent these bikes. Prices start at P200 per hour.

One of the many function rooms at Club Balai Isabel. It was being used during our visit.

We didn't get to explore every nook and cranny of Club Balai Isabel, but we visited major spots. We passed through several villas before reaching the Indoor Hall which can be used as function room for several occasions. We also passed through a bike rental area and I thought of renting one so I could explore the place more but I didn't have the time. We saw their biggest pool (500 sqm. Kumintang Pool) which was filled with kids despite the midday heat.

It's so nice to walk here and enjoy the view of Taal Lake and Volcano

Thereafter, we headed to the Tagong Gubat where a company was having team building exercises nearby. They even have obstacle courses for companies to use. We then passed through their helipad (wow!) and the old Talisay church before reaching the new Spousal of Mary and Joseph Chapel where beautiful weddings can be held. Lastly, we want back to Club Balai Isabel's Terraza Cafe for some refreshments. Will probably share more about Terraza Cafe in a different blog post.

Tagong Gubat

You could literally inhale the good and exhale the negative here.

Spousal of Mary and Joseph Chapel

Perfect venue for destination weddings!

There are several kinds of accommodations that may be availed of at Club Balai Isabel. There are hotel and condotel rooms (starts at P5,544 for two persons), and villas and cottages (starts at P6,325 for 3 persons). The former includes buffet breakfast at Terraza Cafe while the latter does not include buffet breakfast but you may cook inside your room. I think it is best to travel in big groups and avail of the villas and cottages since they are cheaper and fee for every person on top of the allowed number of guests only costs P550. Otherwise, you may avail of hotel rooms for a much convenient and hassle-free stay.

The best rooms in Club Balai Isabel? These hotel rooms fronting the lake.

This gated community looks like an exclusive subdivision at night.

We stayed at Balai Laurel for our overnight trip and I was definitely impressed! The room that we got was extremely spacious and clean. There's a small balcony, two comfort rooms, a kitchen with mini refrigerator, and 6 beds. It could house at most 12 guests. It also has a flat screen television which we used before we went to sleep. The aircon was working well despite the heat during the day. The room costs a little below P12,000 per night so that's only around P1,000 per head.

Balai Laurel is one of the newest accommodations at Club Balai Isabel

Super clean and spacious rooms!

I was relieved that there were basic toiletries in the restrooms (such as soaps, shampoos, conditioners, lotions, toothbrush, and toothpaste) because I forgot to bring any. There's only one cabinet but there's a huge space by the restroom for storage. The bed was really comfortable to sleep in. I didn't want to wake up early the next morning but I had to for our Taal Volcano tour.

View from the 2nd floor

Mini kitchen and table

Our balcony with an awesome view

As regards the activities offered at Club Balai Isabel, the main attraction that they offer aside from the beautiful scenery is their three swimming pools - a medium-sized infinity pool, a 500 sq.m. pool for larger groups, and a small one near the residential areas. I suggest you go to the small one if you want a secluded pool because most people go to the other two. And I do not suggest swimming at the lake for a long period of time because of sulfur content and the plants found therein. Nevertheless, there are still fun activities that you should try out at the lake such as jetski, parasailing, banana boat, flying fish, and kayak.

Kumintang Pool

Terraza Pool

During our visit, we only had the chance to try out jetski and banana boat. I was paired with Nicole for the jetski and no one wants to drive lol. After encouragement from friends, I finally mustered up my strength and drove the jetski. I'm not as bad as I expected myself to be but I didn't go too far and I only drove sloooow (for the sake of our little kids lol!). My banana boat experience was a first and it will definitely not be the last. And the view of Taal, while being dragged by a speedboat and hanging onto the rope, was definitely one of a kind. It was an awesome experience to try out with friends and family.

The jetski was surprisingly easy to use! (Photo by Nicole Paler)

With my awesome ClubBalai crew! (Photo by Jinkee Umali)

Aside from water sports, Club Balai Isabel also has sports facilities. These include a tennis court, a basketball court, a volleyball court, darts, and billiards. And if you are looking for more adventure, why not go to Taal Volcano itself? Club Balai Isabel offers tours to Taal Volcano which I will be posting in my next blog post.

Jetski is a must try at Club Balai Isabel! (P2,000 for 1/2 hour, P3,500 for 1 hour)

Waiting for my turn!

Other activities that must be tried are Flying Fish (P700 per head) and Banana Boat (P300 per head)

As I have said, Club Balai Isabel is not just about adventure. It is also about relaxation as this place is the perfect escape from the city. They have a spa inside the resort and their full body massage is a must! Imagine having that after a day of sports activities or after a tour of Taal Volcano. Divine, right? Otherwise, you may relax by the pool and enjoy the view of Taal Lake and Volcano.

... or get that much needed whole body massage...

... or simply relax by the pool!

With more than 200 rooms, 3 swimming pools, numerous function rooms, water sports facilities, sports facilities, a great restaurant, a spa, and a spectacular view, there's nothing more that you could ask for! This peaceful place is definitely the best summer destination in the south! It is perfect not just for vacations, but for weddings, team buildings, outings with friends, and more.